Carthage native Victoria Vivians’ 21 point performance in Sunday night’s NCAA Women’s National Championship Game wasn’t enought to life the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs against Notre Dame.
Arike Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer with a tenth of a second left to gave Notre Dame its first women’s national championship since 2001.
Notre Dame rallied from a 30-17 halftime deficit to beat Mississippi State 61-58. A last-second shot by Ogunbowale also allowed the Irish to top UConn in the national semifinal on Friday.
The Irish hugged and celebrated on the floor as confetti fell from the Nationawide Arena rafters.
Vivians’ 21 points led all scorers. Her teammate Teaira McCowan had 18 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
Jessica Shepard had 19 points for Notre Dame, and Ogunbowale had 18.
Notre Dame was playing in its fifth title game in the last eight years. The Irish lost the previous four. (AP)
